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I have a little problem. I'm addicted to cookbooks, food writing, recipe collecting, and cooking. I have a lot of recipes waiting for me to try them, and ideas from articles, tv, and restaurants often lead to new dishes. I started losing track of what I've done. So now I'm taking photos and writing about what I've prepared—unless it's terrible in which case I forget it ever happened.

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Sunday, November 1, 2009

A week ago, we attended the Slow Food Feast in the Field benefiting the Austin Discovery School. (In the interest of full disclosure, I won my ticket as a giveaway from the always awesome Addie Broyles, but we purchased Kurt’s ticket.) The feast was held at Green Gate Farm which is a short, ten minute drive from downtown Austin, but it was a quiet, peaceful place outside of the city’s hubbub. It was a clear, cool, fall night, and the barn sat in the shadows behind the buffet table of salad, bruschetta, and pickled persimmons. Servers passed trays of duck confit canapes and shot glasses of pureed butternut squash soup, and wine was served from a table under a big tree. The dining tables were set between planted fields and were softly illuminated by strings of lights. Hence, my photos were of poor quality, but I snapped away just the same. There was even a small trailer from which espresso was served next to the greenhouse. The meal was prepared by Chef Jesse Bloom of Ecstatic Cuisine, and the entire menu was crafted from local vegetables, meats, and wines and much of that local fare came from Green Gate Farm.

I requested a vegetarian main course, so I enjoyed a stuffed poblano pepper with black beans, corn, avocado, and chipotle lime tofu instead of the smoky pork. The meal was very well prepared and nicely served, and the warm brownie with Amy’s always-perfect ice cream for dessert was simple but delicious. The port with its hint of honey was well-matched with chocolate.

The one item from the meal that really caught our attention was the butternut squash gratin. Kurt and I, and everyone else at our table, couldn’t stop going on about it. The tender layers of squash with flavors of walnuts and caramelized onions and the lovely crispy topping had us all praising it. The next day, I contacted Ecstatic Cuisine to ask if they’d be willing to share the recipe for that incredible gratin, and Ian LeClair, the sous chef, was happy to do so. He told me the squash they used was from Green Gate Farm, the cream was from a local source, and the Veldhuizen Gruyere is made in Dublin, Texas. I haven’t made this myself yet, but I think this could easily make its way onto a holiday menu this year:

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and half the butter. Add the onions and the thyme and cook until the onions are caramelized and reduced to about 1 cup.While the onions are cooking, peel the squash and cut off the large butt end with the seeds. Thinly slice the neck part into rounds. (Ian uses a mandoline to get nice thin slices.)In a mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss the squash slices in this flour mixture to coat.Grease a 9x13 baking dish with the rest of the butter.Arrange half the squash slices in an overlapping pattern to form a layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread half the onions on top. Form another layer with the rest of the squash and then top with the other half of the onions.Sprinkle the cheese over the top and then pour the cream over the whole dish. The cream should almost come up to cover the layers.Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the squash has mostly softened. Remove from oven and remove foil.Mix the breadcrumbs and nuts and spread over the top of the gratin.Return to oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until topping is golden and crispy and squash is fully cooked.

First of all, I want your main course for dinner tonight! Second of all, thanks for sharing the recipe. I have been thinking of doing something squash for our Thanksgiving table since sweet potatoes aren't a big hit.